Mass Layoffs In March 2004 — 2004-04-22

In March 2004, there were 920 mass layoff actions by employers, as measured by new filings for unemployment insurance benefits during the month, according to data from the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics. Each action involved at least 50 persons from a single establishment, and the number of workers involved totaled 92,554. (See table 1.) Both the number of events and initial claims were sharply lower than a year ago and were the lowest for any March since 1999. From January through March 2004, the total number of events, at 4,289, and initial claims, at 416,209, were lower than in January-March 2003 (4,885 and 463,421, respectively). Automobile manufacturing, with 6,553 initial claimants, temporary help services, with 5,311 initial claimants, and food service contractors, with 4,975 initial claimants, together accounted for 18 percent of all initial claims in March.